Method of extracting pure germ product from farinaceous stock



April 1, 1941. H. M. SUTTON ET AL METHOD OF'EXTRACTING PURE GERM PRQDUCT FROM FARINAEOUS STOCK Filed March 10, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 flenr' Msuzzo'n Fr'a I'ZI E. Wood I NVENTOR ATTORNEY 1941' H. M. SUTTON ET AL 2.236.806

METHOD OF EXTRACTING PURE GERM PRODUCT FROM FARINACEOUS STOCK April 1 Filed March 10} 1939 2 Sheets-Shem 2 m l l l: NI L,

Henry M Sutton towhich Patented Apr. 1, 19 41 This invention relates to method of extracting-germ it refers part cularly the difference in specific gravity,a mill stock,

containing a maximum METHOD or macaw EXTBAC'IING BBODUCT FROM FABINACEOUS STQCK Henry M. Sutton and assignorsto tlon, Dallas,

States Application March 10,

apparatus forand from mill stock and to the art of separating by concentrate of germ'to obtain the amount of pure germ and a minimum amount of endosperm or middlings and branny particles.

. The principal object of the inventionincludes a preparatory step of reducing starchy particles of mill stock the size of the without injury to thegerm and with the least disturbance possible i of the bran content, and the step of sifting the fine particles particles and the step of ing stock to theaction of of separating middlings Another an apparatus, utilizing sifting and separating surfaces are covered with special wire or cloth mesh, the peculiar weave and porosity the requirements of the method for complete 25 separation. e

The invention form of of bran and endosperm'or -starchy subjecting the remain l5 an air flotation method the pure germ from the endosperm,

and other matte'r'reporting therewith. object of the invention is to provide r the above principles of 20 separation ofmill stock whose preparation and thereof being I especially suited 'to further embodies means in the cooperating rolls which ireducethestarchy substance of the mass to a size best 'suited for the subsequent operation of sifting and separating, yet without injuring the germ product.

The stock for which the invention, has been designed to handle most effectively is that of any mill stock or stream which'is highly concentrated in germ which isas nearLv as'possible in, its whole and natural state and consisting of branny particles ransingin .to such particlg niately a 20 of starchy particles 7 position size from minute pieces of bran that will remain on approximesh wire, together with such pieces whose character and comvaries with the 11379 of' stock and its preparation before being subjected to the action of corrugated of the Q starch! corru ated rolls invention,

rolls, operative to reducethe size particles of the stock.- These constitute a part of the present 45 receiving the stock for the initial step n the re aratory treatment of the material for n lt a;

. gfhg germ product is hardly affected by the" action of the rolls,

since the latter are mounted "for relative adjustment .to predetermine the size the'starchy substance is to be reduced.

This operation istcarried 6ut-with the least possible v disturbance ofthe b'ranny product. It is. important that the germ :be kept in its more or rator.

is supported by the hopper 3 having a other receptacle connected at a to FrankE. Wood, Dallas, Tex., Reconstruction Finan Tex.,a corporation of co Col-ponthe. United 1939, serial! No. 10mm. (cl. 8H2) the product being identical to the germ, it is'desirable that the stock be analyzed so that the in; gradients tending to contaminate the pure product might 'be screened out before it has been subjected to the action of a specific gravity sepa- However, since the products are-of different size and physical character, it'is possible by the sifting process and it'has been. shown that a large percentage of these starchy particles fall into this classification.

With the foregoing objectsas paramount, the

invention has reference to its salient features of construction and novel method steps illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in the description as follows:

Figure .1 is a plan view of the complete assembly (showing the preparatory rolls, sifter and pneumatic separating table.

Figure 2' is a side elevation.

Figure 3 is .a detail view of'the preparatoryrolls in transversesection on lines 3-! of Figure l.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary magnified plan view of the clothing for table.

I Figure 5 is a fragmentary view of the clothing or mesh taken on lines 8-! on Fi e 4;

Continuing with a more detailed description of the drawings, reference is primarily made to Figures 1 and 2 in whichis illustrated the supporting legs I of the preparatory equipment. A frame 2 legs, which in turn supports. discharge opening 4 at its convergent bottom. Any jmanner of conduit or gnay'be connected to e outlet of the hopper f 1' receiving and conv ying the substance sifted through a sifter 5 reciprocably mounted immediately tionship with the mouth of the-hopper 3. The means for supporting form of links}, connectedat theirupper ends to the sifter and at' their lower ends to the frame 2. A pair of the 'deckof the pneumatic has its ends process, the stock is in turn sifts the fine to accomplish this feat above. and in inclined rela- I the sifter 5 may be in the pitn an arms Pare pivotally: the sifter and their opposit ends are journaled in;eccentric' bearings I sup;-

mounted onrthe frame 2.

Bituated above the elevated end of the sifter I are corrugated rolls ll mounted on shafts II,

the ends of which are journaled in sliding block earings I! (Fig. 2) in order to provide for relaive adjustment of the corrugated-rolls II. The stock is deposited into the hopper Ha above the rolls II. t I

It is to be noted that the gears It are of different diameters in. order that a diflerential speed ratio between the rolls ll may be obtained.

As stated, these rolls are corrugated, the corrugations being spirally arranged with respect to the axes of the rolls so that the stock 'in the state ately disintegrated to reduce the size of the received by the rolls will be further but moderstarchy particles of the mass, yet without damaging the pure germ content thereof.

To adjust the relativepositions of the rolls H,- a screw ll (Fig. 2) bears against one of the bearing blocks l3 and by manipulating this screw the position of one of the blocksis changed thereby varying the distance between the rolls.

The surface of the sitter I is comprised of wire mesh, the size of the interstices beingpredetermined in accordance with the type of stock or product to be handled. The sifting step of the process serves to analyze the stock prior to its passage over the specific gravity separator. that is to say those ingredients tending to contaminate the pure product after separation by the specific gravity separator are thereby eliminated. Although the specific gravity of products are identical to the germs, the products themselves are of different size and physical character, hence,

the sifting out of the contaminating particles maybe effected.

.as shownin Figures 1 and-2 and itis not considered necessary herein to enter into a detailed description of the running gear and chassis of the separator shown other than to point outthat the arrangement is such that; imparts to the deck I! a reciprocatory combined with an oscillatory motion and this. combined with the pressure of Ill, supplied to the air chest ll through conduit ll, serves to propel the heavier elements of the mass forward fromunder the lighter ones,.due

to the fact that the upward and forward motion of the deck surface has more contact with the heavier elements than with the lighter ones. The static pressure always present beneath the deck surface it causes the air to gently filter through the pervious deck surface which is of wire cloth of special weave as earlier expressed and whose area is substantiallyless than one-fourth open topassageofainasshowninl'igures4and5. The result is that the entire mass on the deck surface is stratified, the heaviest elements sinking to the floor of the table, such for example as starchy particles escaping the action of the sifter,

fine bran and dust particles, lighter in weight than all of the remainder'of the stock.

The lighter. particles such as the branny product and possibly some with fine particles of starchy product clinging thereto will be entirely confined to the space between the pneumatic sklmmers 20 (Fig. 1), whose p po e-will be later described, and the rear walls It of the table II.

The invention does not consider as new the structure and function of the skimmers "and it is to beunderstood that their useis optional. Skimmers such as illustrated and described in patent No. 1,832,520, serve the purpose for which they may be applied in the present invention, namely, to deliver a draft of air rearward or toward the feed side of the table and opposed to their forward movement. The heavier elements of the mass pass underneath the skimmers and report upon the table separating surface in zones of separated material. For example, the heaviest material such as starchy particles, dirt and other foreign matter of substantially the same weight and physical character, hug the banking wall 32 and are discharged into hoppers 23. r The intermediate strata or lighter particles which will be the pure germ will report at the delivery side of the table to be received in hoppers, 24, free of any contaminating substances. The still lighter material such as the branny product and perhaps a small amount of fine starchy product will be received in the hoppers 25 for further processing in a manner with which the present invention is not concerned.

Itis pointed out that the present invention is an intermediate or preparatory process, that is to say, a process interposed between the actual milling process of wheat or other similar product in one or more of its stages and the process or processes of treating or handling the separated productsand more particularly the pure germ of the s ock.

It is not herein considered as new to separate particles of different specific gravity by the'air flotation principles of separation but the steps of the present process relating to the preparation of a mill stock for such separation is considered new'ln the art and which include the steps of then the next and lighter-elements which constitu'te the recoverable germ product, then next above will bethe branny product and finally the upper strata. will consist of nothing more than reducing the size of the endosperm or starchy product of the mass, sifting the stock thus treated. in depositing the stock ''on a mechanically actuated deck to separate the same in accordance with the difference in specific gravity of the elements of the mass by supporting the same on a cushion of air, and in collecting the separated products as they report at different points along the delivery side of the deck.

Manifestly, the construction shown and the steps of the process herein defined are subject to certain changes and modifications and such changes -and modifications 'as' are considered within the scope and meaning of the appended claim are also considered within the spirit and intent of the appended claim.

What is claimed is: I

The herein described process for extracting pure germ product from farinaceous'stock, characterized by initially subjecting the grain to a crushing action sumcient to disintegrate outer layers of particles and insumcient 'to disintegrate said germ, in subjecting theground particlu to agitation and screening to effect separation of the germ particles from clinging particles of the outer layers, in distributing the screened overs on a closely woven metallic plane whose'surface is substantially less than one-fourth open to the particles to report in separate zones according to differences -in specific gravity for separate colpassage of air and inclined whereby particles resting loosely thereon will be drawn in one direction by gravity, in agitating the overs, in stratifying the same and-subjecting the said overs to intersecting currents of air to effect separation of the particles or the overs to cause the lection.

HENRY SUTTON. FRANK E. woon. 

